KRS 202B.210

Upon the filing of a petition for involuntary admission pursuant to KRS 202B.045, the court shall appoint an attorney to represent the respondent with the appointment and representation to continue unless the respondent retains private counsel. The appointed attorney shall be forthwith notified by the clerk of the allegations in the petition and the date and purpose of the preliminary hearing. When it is necessary to appoint counsel, the District Court shall endeavor to appoint private counsel, if available, to represent respondents, from a list of attorneys who have volunteered to represent such respondents. The list shall be maintained by the District Court clerk. Private counsel appointed by the court shall be compensated in the manner set forth in KRS 620.100. If no other method of appointing counsel for the respondent is available, the respondent shall be represented by the public advocate pursuant to KRS Chapter 31.